Honey Select

Family: Poaceae Grain Vegetable

Planting Schedule

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Honey Select bursts with a sun-warmed sweetness and a tender, milky bite that feels almost velvet on the tongue.

The bicolor kernels—golden honey and creamy white—stack in tight rows on sturdy ears, delivering rich flavor whether you savor them at peak freshness or let their natural sugars shine in roasts and grill favorites. Grow Honey Select for a dependable 70-day harvest and a garden-to-table experience that’s as bright in color as it is in taste.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 70 DaysHabit: Upright

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Honey Select Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Aug 3rd – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 24th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 24th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Jul 28th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 24th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Jul 22nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Jul 17th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Jul 13th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jul 10th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jul 4th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	Jun 29th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	Jun 19th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	Jun 10th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	Jun 1st – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	May 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	Apr 20th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 10th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	70
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	60
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	40
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Honey Select’s hallmark is that velvet, milky kernel—high sweetness with a tender snap—so it shines when you keep cooking fast and heat it just enough to coax out sugar and aromatics. Treat it like a starring ingredient: butter, lime, and a little smoke or cheese let the bicolor sweetness read clean instead of getting lost in heavy seasoning.

Best Uses

shucked-and-griddled corn with salt and a squeeze of lime
quick steam/boil then butter-melted, no-fuss eating
roasted kernels folded into quesadillas or corn fritter batter
grilled corn for char plus natural sugar sheen

Flavor Profile

sun-warmed sweetness tender, milky kernel bite creamy corn aromatics with a gentle grassy finish snappy-to-creamy texture that stays juicy

Kitchen Pairings

lime cilantro butter smoked paprika chili powder cotija cheese

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common disease problem in sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata), and how do I manage it?

Corn smut and gray leaf spot are frequent issues in sweet corn, especially when leaves stay wet and airflow is poor. Remove infected plants early, avoid overhead watering, and water at the soil line; thin/space plants to improve airflow. If gray leaf spot is recurring, rotate away from corn/other grasses next season and mulch to reduce splash during rains.

How often should I water sweet corn during the main growing phase?

From when tassels begin to form through ear fill (roughly weeks 6–10), keep the soil evenly moist with about 1–1.5 inches of water per week, adjusting for heat and wind. Water deeply 1–2 times weekly rather than frequent light sprinkling, and aim to keep the root zone from drying out. Once the ears are well-developed, reduce slightly but don’t let the soil dry completely, since drought during ear fill lowers kernel sweetness.

How can I tell when honey-select sweet corn is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the silks turn brown and feel dry, but before kernels get dented and starchy. Press a kernel with your thumbnail—if it releases milky juice, it’s at peak sweetness; if only clear fluid or a firm “paste” appears, it’s past prime. Sweet corn is best picked the day of eating, ideally within a few hours of harvest.